Cicadas 2

Athena and I ran into what I think is a cicada. I'm assuming this bug is about to shed its skin.

Cicadas 3

Athena watches the bug with a great deal of interest.

Fuzzy Fellow

9-14-14
Found this little guy while working on breaking down branches and digging up saplings yesterday. Made my day.

Ant on Peony Bud

Hot Bunny

This heat is making these critters positively droopy!

Little Bird

This little one flew into the garage the other day just as I was about to close the door and didn't seem too anxious to leave as I approached to take a picture.  She flew out the next day. 

Hot Squirrel

Glanced out the window yesterday and caught this guy taking a break from the heat.

Backyard Bunny

This photo was taken in early June of this year.  I'm not sure why I didn't post it.

Urban Wildlife

My friend and neighbor, Warren, had me over for drinks and dinner the other night.  It was a gorgeous evening so we started by having cocktails in his backyard.  He showed me all of his new flowers and then headed inside to freshen up his drink.  As I was standing in the yard I had a distinct feeling that someone was watching me.  I checked at eye-level in every direction but couldn't spot anyone.  I decided to look up.  There on his roof was what looked like a squirrel's head.  It didn't move, so at first I thought maybe it was ornamental.  Then after a few moments it gave itself away by twitching its head but then became very still again.  I slowly got out my camera and shot the picture you see above.  When Warren came back out I told him to look up.  He did.  He smiled and asked if I could snap a picture.  I told him I already had.

Norbert

I found a baby bird on our front walk yesterday that I assumed was pushed out of his nest.  His eyes were closed and he was writhing a little by moving his feet and what are supposed to become wings.  I named him Norbert.  I checked online to see if I could find some answers regarding the best way to handle the situation.  Birds that are somewhat closer to being able to fly have their feathers.  Their first attempts at flight will sometimes result in failure.  These birds are called fledglings.  The bird's parents will continue to tend to the fledgling.  It's an old wives tale that human scent on a baby bird will drive the mother away.  It is okay to put the fledgling back in the nest if it can be determined where the nest is.  A naked baby bird or a baby bird with no or few feathers is called a nestling.  The parents don't have a way to get it to the nest so it's okay to place it back in the nest.  If the nest can't be accessed it's okay to use a small plastic container with drainage holes and a lining of paper towels. eHow says: "Understand that the baby bird may have been pushed out of the nest by its siblings and could get pushed out again.  This is a natural behavior that allows only the strongest to survive and procreate."  Sadly, Norbert died this afternoon.

Backyard Visitor

This grasshopper was perched by the grill this afternoon. He let me get surprisingly close. What a great sport!

Backyard Friend

This little guy jumped by me as I was pulling some weeds on the south side of the house. He hopped into a window well and was tolerant enough of me to sit still and let me snap his photo.

The Bunny

These photos were taken on June 18. It was and especially hot day and, as you can especially see in the bottom photo, the bunny was feeling it.

Caught in the Act!

Grasshoppers

Gorgeous fall day today. Saw quite a few grasshoppers.

Russian Sage

The little lavender flowers on the Russian sage are looking quite pretty. The bees love this stuff!

Busy Bees

Groggy Froggy - Squire House Part 3

While clomping around the grounds at Squire House Gardens on Saturday, Noel and I found this little guy on a lily pad in the lily pond. He looked quite content if but a little tired.

Deb's Other Grasshopper

Another grasshopper hanging out at Deb's house.

Deb's Grasshopper

Deb and I were both out in our respective yards this afternoon. As I was planting some ornamental kale that Dale and I had picked up earlier at Bachman's, I heard a scream. "Deb?", I said as I jogged over to her side of the yard. She was laughing by the time I got there and said, "Oh, sweetie, it was only a grasshopper." She had been weeding and it had jumped out and startled her. Of course I had to get a photo and I think it turned out rather well if I do say so myself. (P.S. Don't fret over the peeling paint on Deb's basement window as the painters are coming tomorrow. I actually think it adds some rustic charm to the photo.)